Paulo Sousa to earn Salernitana extension following historic run – report | OneFootball

Portuguese boss Paulo Sousa is recovering his reputation in management in Italy with Salernitana. According to reports, Sousa will soon be offered a new contract to reward his performance since arriving in February.

Salernitana are currently unbeaten in eight Serie A matches, which has set a new club record run without defeat in the Italian league. With safety from relegation looking promising, it remains to be seen whether Sousa will choose to extend his stay in Campania.

Former Portugal star Sousa has endured a turbulent recent career in management. A solid period with financially-troubled Bordeaux ended in the summer of 2020, after which Sousa took on the Polish national team job. He caused controversy by resigning from his position with Poland to move to Brazilians Flamengo, leaving the nation in disarray ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Sousa’s time in Brazil was brief, with Flamengo dismissing him after six months last summer. After a brief sabbatical, the former Juventus and Borussia Dortmund Champions League winner was announced by Salernitana in April on a short-term contract, charged with securing the club’s survival in Serie A.

There was barely any time for Sousa to prepare his players for his debut meeting with Lazio, which resulted in a 2-0 defeat just two days after he was hired. However, since then Salernitana are unbeaten in eight subsequent matches: the run consisting of two wins and six draws – including gaining a point against both AC Milan and Internazionale.

The upturn in form marks an astonishing turnaround for I Granata, who had lost eight out of ten Serie A encounters after the Lazio defeat. A 3-0 weekend victory over Sassuolo, who had beaten Juventus a week prior, underlined the improvement under Sousa and there is now a healthy 7-point gap between Salernitana and relegation.

Sousa enjoys a strong reputation in Italian football, stemming from his playing days with Juventus and a two-year stint in charge of Fiorentina where he impressed. Italian journalist Nicolò Schira claims his current employers wish to tie him down on a longer deal, but whether the 51-time Portugal international commits, or looks for another challenge, is something to consider after the current campaign plays out.